
#ifndef CM_ATOM_H_
#define CM_ATOM_H_

extern int atom_length(const char *str);

/*
 * @brief	add a copy of the sequence to the table of atoms
 * @return	the atom, never returns NULL
 */
extern const char * atom_new(const char *str, int len);

/*
 * @brief	similar to atom_new, caters to the common use of character string
 */
extern const char * atom_string(const char *str);

/*
 * @brief	return the atom for the string representation of the long integer
 */
extern const char * atom_int(long n);


#endif
